Punjab bans screening of ‘Santa Banta Private Limited’ film

‘Santa Banta Private Limited’ film not banned in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: The Punjab government banned ‘Santa Banta Private Limited’ on Saturday, claiming that the movie portrays the Sikh community in a denigrating and defamatory manner.

Last week, the Bombay high court, while hearing petition by a Mumbai Sikh Congress leader, refused to grant an interim stay on film’s release on April 22.

The decision was taken after a delegation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC), led by its president, Manjit Singh GK, called on deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in Delhi. The delegation said the movie hurt the sentiments of the community.

Sukhbir asked the state chief secretary to impose a ban on the screening of the movie in Punjab. The ban will come into effect immediately, said a government spokesperson.

Last week, the Bombay high court, while hearing petition by a Mumbai Sikh Congress leader, refused to grant an interim stay on film’s release on April 22.

Sikh protesters staged a demonstration on Saturday at the collectorate in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, saying the film has some “ethnic humour parts which will hurt the sentiments of the community”.